Crossroads
by Cyrel
Summary: Hijikata has his day off. Naturally he would bump into a certain freelancer, but today is different. HijixGin, h/c, slight fluff.
1. Migraine and perm are not relevant

He was used to waking up early, sleeping in late was out of the question. He dressed up, had breakfast at the barracks, and after his morning coffee and cigarette he set off to spend his day relaxing. He walked the streets and considered possible destinations. There was a wide variety of choices, starting from amusement parks to onsen. The movies seemed also a good option, but after seeing nothing fancy in the programme list, he called that off. He just loitered around, then opted for a nearby bathhouse.

He never thought that on his day off a really serious problem would occur. He was incredibly lonely. Something was amiss, and he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He was looking forward to be finally away from work and his subordinates. Even Kondo-san got on his nerves regardless of the respect and love he felt toward his commander. As he soaked in the hot water, the uneasiness didn't dissipate. It even mixed with something more shocking : utter boredom.

He couldn't shake off the weird gloomy mood, even when he left the onsen and visited his favorite bar. He tried to remember the last time he had so much time for himself, and how was it possible that he didn't have fun this time. Then he remembered. His previous day off was fun, and … disastrous.

Of course how could he have forgotten? Everywhere he went then, there was a certain loser who kept bothering him. Their routes always crossed, and wherever he went, the bastard was sure to turn up as well. According to him it was totally unintentional, but that wasn't a good excuse for him to be there. Their verbal and physical fights were unending, and by the end of the day Hijikata was not relaxed at all, as he intended. Exactly the opposite: he was extremely annoyed, nervous and dead-ass tired because of Sakata Gintoki.

It was so long ago, yet Hijikata wondered how could he have forgotten that awful day. He would never admit to himself that he secretly enjoyed it, but now his life seemed empty without the silver-haired idiot's constant nagging and bickering. He lit up another cigarette as he kept walking, musing all the way about his long awaited day off that was so uneventful and boring so far. Without actually caring where he headed, his feet suddenly treaded familiar ground. He saw a greenhaired maid cleaning the street in front of a snack bar. Out of the bar a man was seemingly thrown out, because he left more quickly than it was natural. He wore dusty old clothes, sunglasses and an old man's face. He remembered this guy, he occassionally saw him together with…

Oh. Hijikata's eyes went wide. He just arrived at the Yorozuya. His cigarette burned to the stub as he gazed at the top floor above the snack bar.

It was really strange how he got here, so deep into Kabukicho. He will have to take a taxi back to the barracks, because walking back would take forever. He didn't know why would he come here of all places is Edo. It was … unintentional. What a strange excuse.

He went up the stairs, not knowing why. The steps creaked beneath his feet. He knocked softly on the door, but there was no answer. He considered leaving, as he had no plans to come here in the first place, but he had a second thought. He tried opening the door… it wasn't locked.

How reckless are these people? Leaving their door open when they aren't home? he thought as he peeked in. To his surprise, a pair of boots lay by the door, discarded. Probaly the Yorozuya was here? He entered the house and took off his sandals. With soft, barely audible steps, he went into the living room to see if the perm-head was really home. The so-called office wasn't empty yet it was quiet, almost in a deafening way. Hijikata finally got sight of the person he was looking for.

Gintoki lay on one of the couches, unmoving and silent. Last week's Jump issue covered his face. Hijikata found it strange – Gintoki sleeping during daytime wasn't that impossible to comprehend, but to be asleep this quiet? Somehow Hijikata imagined him to snore loudly. That's what lazy bums usually do, especially ones who have a tendency to pick their nose in public.

Out of curiosity Hijikata stepped closer and removed the magazine from the others face. He was surprised at his own actions, but Gintoki's motionless and quiet form unnerved him little. It was as if a dead person lay there but instead of a white fabric, the face was covered with a Jump issue.

The face he revealed had a scrunched up expression, and Gintoki let out a painful moan. That was a really unexpected reaction, and Hijikata's curiosity just doubled.

"Why are you bothering Gin-san? Go away, whoever hell you are." he said covering his face with his right arm, trying to block the light.

"What, are you hungover?" Hijikata asked scornfully. He wondered once again why he bothered coming here. Gintoki lowered his arm, and squinting he looked at the source of the voice.

"No, but why are you here?" Gintoki was astonished.

"Actually I'm about to leave, so don't bother getting up." Hijikata felt the need to go more than ever, as he never wanted to come here at all.

"Yes. Do that. But can you answer my question fir- Ah!" Gintoki finished his line abruptly with a painful intake of breath. When Hijikata glanced over, he saw Gintoki pressing on his eyes and breathing shallowly.

"Oi what's wrong?" the officer asked with slight worry. He was headed towards the entrance, ready to escape, but he turned around when he heard the hitch in the other's words.

"Gin-san has a migraine. Gin-san even sent his employees away too because he's suffering that much." Gintoki said through grit teeth. His voice was pained too, and he took some breaths with caution, careful not to jostle his body which would send new waves of agony into his brain. He had no clue what was Hijikata doing in his house, and he wanted to know. But not now. He spoke quietly before, but that was still too harsh on his on overly sensitive eardrums.

"Why don't you go see a doctor?" Hijikata asked. After all, sick people should go to doctors, right?

Gintoki didn't bother to answer, he was occupied with something more urgent. One of his hands flew to his mouth as he sat up, swaying. He could barely balance himself, much less stand up. He flailed with his other hand trying to get on his feet, and failing. He inhaled through his nose, as he felt saliva and bile gathering in his mouth. He even teared up, he didn't want to throw up in his office but he couldn't get on his feet.

Much to his surprise, he felt a hand taking his own, pulling him on his feet. He had vertigo instantly, and his vision blackened for a moment. Through the hazy dizziness and his efforts to stop himself from puking, he felt a hand taking his arm and another touching his waist. He was guided towards the bathroom, thankfully reaching it in time. He was a miserable wretch by the time they arrived.

Vomiting didn't bring relief to him, and even though he grabbed the toilet bowl with all his strength, the hands that guided him to his destination, didn't leave. One hand held his head while the other was around his chest.

With one final spit, it was over, and Gintoki leaned backwards, away from the mess. It wasn't much of a mess though, because he barely had anything in his stomach. Hi breathing was ragged, from both the attempts to throw up and the splitting headache that assaulted his head with renewed force. There was something odd, though. He thought he had leaned against the wall, but instead of that he was lying against something warmer and softer.

"Ah, I thought th-, that you were, uh, leaving." he said, directing his words towards Hijikata. Said person was more than a little uncomfortable, and yes, he really had the intention to leave. But here he was, actually hugging the Yorozuya, who resembled a child with an upset stomach.

"I was. Can you get up? You should lie in your futon, that's more comfortable than the sofa." Hijikata asked, shifting a little so he could help the other up. Gintoki murmured that he took for a yes . Slowly they stood up together, and Hijikata held the other steady when another wave of dizziness hit him. They walked back to the living room, Gintoki letting himself guided by Hijikata again. He didn't dare open his eyes because of the dizziness, and each step was painfully jostling him. He sat down on the couch while Hijikata opened the door to his bedroom. He heard shuffling noises as Hijikata took out his futon. He heard steps approaching.

"Try to sleep if you can." Hijikata said. He headed for the exit now, he wanted to be out of here as soon as possible.

"Wait." Gintoki remained seated, his head buried in his hands, but his voice was a little stronger now.

"Why did you come here? Did Shinpachi send you?" he asked.

Hijikata thought about the answer for a long moment.

"No, I just happened to come here by chance." He said. It was a straight and honest answer.

Gintoki stifled a laugh. He regretted it, because it hurt.

"What kind of reasoning is that?" he inquiried, he honestly had no idea what was Hijikata doing in his house.

Hijikata wanted to have a smoke right then. He thought he might get out of the situation without being confronted and forced to explain himself. Gintoki was in a slightly better shape, at least his nausea was taken care of now.

"I guess that will be have to enough. I will explain when you get better." Hijikata cringed inwardly. Why was he saying thaaaat? Why did he embarrass himself just now?

"Oh, Oogushi-kun. I think I feel better now. So, uh. "Gin took a deep breath." Care to explain now?"

Hijikata felt an urge to run away now. Why was he here actually? How did the events turn out like this?

"I missed you today." Out of the blue he blurted this out. He didn't want to answer at all yet the words just slipped out of his mouth.

"…" Gintoki didn't react at all.

"I think I'm leaving now, okay" Hijikata said, forcing out the words from his mouth with great effort. This was most embarassing, he was sure this was not only his worst day off, it was his worst day ever.

"Wait."

A single word, that sounded somewhere between order and request, made him freeze in his steps.

Gintoki didn't look at him, he had enough troubles with his migraine.

"Thanks for helping me before. I think this is my worst day ever." he said. " I wanted to go to the onsen today, but here I am stuck with the worst headache."

Hijikata felt a pang of guilt. He was so busy worrying about his own personal misery, that he almost forgot how sick the other was. Gintoki didn't react to his embarassing confession earlier, and that was a surprisingly good sign.

"Want me to buy you medicine?" He asked.

"No, I don't want you to go away. You're somehow not as noisy as the kids."

It was Hijikata's turn to be stunned.

"Why would you want me to stay?"

"I imagined that we would coincidentally meet at the onsen. I was ready to beat you to a pulp like I did last time, but then I was stuck with this migraine. And then later when I'm lying amidst my suffering, you accidentally 'drop by' and help me puke. I want you to stay because…" he trailed off.

"I missed you too." he said finally.

"There's no logic at all!" Hijikata said, a little too loud. Gintoki's ears hurt from the noise.

"Ah."

"Sorry."

"…"

Great silence followed. It lasted for long minutes.

"So what now?" Hijikata asked. Hijikata took a seat so they were sitting opposite of each other, Gintoki still had his face buried in his hand. Hijikata was on the other couch, but he was clearly uncomfortable and his posture was rigid.

"Come here." Gintoki patted the sofa with one of his hands while the other covered his face still.

"Eh?" Hijikata was confused. What did the other want to achieve, he had no idea. He just hoped it wasn't anything nasty, but it was improbable considering the condition the other was in.

Gintoki didn't ask again, just patted the seat once more, beckoning him. Reluctantly, the officer stood and slowly made his way to sit down next to the suffering silverhaired samurai. He sat down with a heavy sigh next to the other, keeping a safe distance of course.

Another long minute of silence passed.

Then Gintoki slowly raised his head, a clear sign that his pain eased a little. He mumbled something incoherently.

Hijikata furrowed his brows, trying to make out his words.

"Sorry?"

"I said, I'm so embarassed." Gintoki tried again, now managing to speak more clearly.

Hijikata didn't know how he was supposed to react.

"I sent the kids aways so they wouldn't see me so vulnerable. Yet you came here and witnessed it, now I feel so wretched." Gin explained. He didn't hold his head now, he just stared ahead in front of him.

"It happens." Hijikata silently screamed inside, this was so awkward!

Gintoki slowly turned his gaze toward him, and their eyes met. The direct eye-contact was so sudden that Hijikata blinked once in surprise. Gintoki's red orbs were still clouded over with the mist of pain, but there was something else in his gaze that made Hijikata's breath catch in his throat. He resembled a child once again, innocent and hurt.

"I'm glad you were here though." The Yorozuya said with sincerety.

"… sure."

Hijikata was astonished when Gintoki inched a little closer and leaned against him. It was an innocent move, as if he was merely seeking warmth.

"Thank you." Gintoki said. The Shinsengumi officer couldn't decide what he meant by that. One silver clump of hair tickled his face as the other's head lay heavy on his shoulder.

"Is it your day off?" Gin asked, seeing the lack of uniform.

"Yes."

"Have you been to the onsen?" he asked.

"Yes…" Hijikata admitted.

"You lucky bastard. I wanted to go there too."

Hijikata laughed a little.

"Guess I won this round by default."

Gintoki sniggered a little.

"Congrats, that's what I call fair play." He said sarcastically. He was getting better, or so it seemed.

"Want me to describe how wonderful it was?"

"I'll pass, thanks." Gintoki said with a smile.

"Feeling better now?" Hijikata asked.

"Mhm." He felt movement that implied Gintoki's nod.

"You should get some sleep." 'And I should get the hell out of here.' Hijikata thought.

"Probably. Ne, Hijikata-kun, did you get a massage too?"

"Of course. That's the best service at that place, I'd be a fool to skip that."

"…"

"Oi, what's with the dumb questions?"

"Gin-san wants a massage too." The words had a whining undertone, and Hijikata got more annoyed each passing second.

"What are you, a cat? Forget it" He wanted to get up. From the first moment he stepped inside, he regretted it.

"Ah sorry." Gintoki lifted his head from Hijikata's shoulder, and scooted back to his previous sitting position, lowering his gaze once again.

Hijikata expected more whining and pleading, but the other's abrupt leave was unanticipated.

"Guess my hopes were too high." Gintoki said, massaging his temples furiously once more.

Hijikata had a slight guilt at the sight.

"Oi. Hurting again?"

"Ah it never goes away, damn headache." the other was obviously suffering once again. Hijikata had a suspicion that it was an act, but he remembered the previous events and the state he found him in when he arrived and that inital thought was chased away quickly. Gintoki's migraine persisted, and the silver haired man's pain strengthened once again.

"Thank you for everything, Hijikata." Gintoki said, as he slowly and unsteadily stood and headed for his bedroom. Hijikata followed close by to make sure the other didn't falter. He observed the sick man as he lay down in his bed, and clumsily covered himself with his blanket.

Hijikata didn't leave. Seems like today was not the day of sane decisions, but he stood there in the doorway and kept staring at Gintoki's restless from. This went on for more than ten minutes. Gintoki twisted and turned, never once noticing the form in the doorway watching him. He was uncomfortable, the blanket was too heavy and it was suffocating him. When he discarded it, he was cold because of the thin film of sweat cooling on his skin. He should have changed into his pajama clothes but right now the sheer thought of getting up was worsening the pain beneath his eyelids.

He sat up, face buried in one palm while he used his other hand for support.

"You should try to drink some water. Throwing up causes dehydration and it will only worsen the ache."

Gintoki froze at the sentence. He thought the other had left long ago. Momentarily overwhelmed, he glanced at Hijikata between his fingers. He was embarassed once again. He felt defenceless and helpless, and to know that his sworn rival witnessed it didn't help him at all. 'Okay, not a sworn rival at all… I kind of like him.' he thought on a side note, as a glass of water was handed to him by said man. He gulped down the refreshing cool substance thirstily.

"You didn't leave." He said, his voice was croaked a little. Maybe there was some truth in Hijikata's statement about dehydration.

"No shit Sherlock. I can't leave you here like this." with that he disappeared for a moment, returning with a warm towel.

Hijikata approached him, and sat down in close proximity.

"Where does it hurt the most?" he asked. Gintoki didn't speak, but sluggishly pointed at his temple.

"Lie down." Gintoki didn't. He stared at Hijikata suspiciously.

"I will give you your damn massage." Hijikata said, glancing away as a small blush creeped upon his cheek.

Gintoki couldn't believe his ears. He thought it was the migraine tricking him, that seemed to be a more believable scenario. But Hijikata touched his shoulders, and slowly eased him into his lap.

Gintoki kept his eyes open. He looked at the ceiling, which was suddenly eclipsed by the Demon Vice-Commander's face. It was unbelievable, especially when said person had a soft, caring expression instead of the usual menacing frown.

"Close your eyes." Gintoki did so, and waited for the world to end.

It ended in a gentle, warm caress on his forehead.

* * *

[A/N: Ah. I wrote this in one go, with the intention to improve my English and have my so badly missed fixation of HijixGin. I hope you liked it. I might continue this sometime. I never once wrote anything like this before as in all my stories they were in an established relationship. Also some of the symptoms mentioned above were referenced of my own migraines. Please review!]


	2. Breaking eggs brings misfortune

Gintoki woke up late in the afternoon, sore but refreshed. He heard some noises from the office, no doubt the kids had come home. He heard approaching steps and his door was ripped open.

"Gin-san, you were smoking!" said Shinpachi in an accusing tone. It wasn't even a question, it was a statement. Gintoki cringed at the loud words, and his head gave a warning throb.

"Could you lower the volume, Shinpachi? What's with this false accusation?" Gintoki asked, slightly annoyed at the remnants of his migraine. He reached for the glass of water that was next to him.

"Mother is really angry with you, you stupid boy." Kagura rushed in to accompany Shinpachi in a collective scolding of their boss.

"I don't get it, could you quit trying to frame me with crimes I didn't do?" Gintoki said in a lazy tone and gazed at the glass he held. It was full, yet he remembered gulping it all down before he fell asleep.

"Don't act innocent, the living room smells of cigarettes more than a tabbacco shop." Kagura crossed her arms, demanding explanation and confession.

"Oh." Realisation hit Gintoki, and it hit him hard.

"Don't oh us! So it was really you? Did you send us away so you could poison yourself?" Shinpachi's tone was not only accusing, but there was a hint of hurt in his voice asif he was just betrayed.

"Unforgivable!" chirped Kagura.

"Oi, oi. Gin-san doesn't smoke, so stop with the lies already. It was a customer." Recollection slowly filled in the missing parts of his day. He felt wretched and miserable in the morning, knowing it was going to be one of those days. Like a damn girl on period, Gintoki felt the approaching migraine and as a precaution he sent his subordinates off. Mainly because he wanted to survive it by resting quietly, and also because he didn't want the kids to see him vulnerable like that. His migraines were rare but they were really severe, and there was no medication that could ease it.

"That sounds like a flat-out lie. It's evident that you slept in here all day."

Gintoki glanced at Shinpachi. The boy's expression was so honest that beneath all the accusation and doubt he saw traces of worry. Meanwhile Kagura had an actresses' attitude of fake disgust written all over her face. She spat on the floor maliciously.

"Useless ossan. If you wanted to smoke, you could have just told so. You're stinking enough, it wouldn't make much difference."

"Once more, I tell you I didn't smoke." Gintoki took a sip from the water. He was through the hardest phase of his headache, and he knew that it will soon dissipate altogether.

"Gin-san. Are you feeling okay?" No doubt, Shinpachi's keen eyes noticed Gintoki's paleness and the sluggish movements were even more of a give away.

"I am. It was just a hangover." He normally didn't lie, but somehow this excuse didn't need as much explanation as the actual cause of their dismissal. Gintoki didn't want to dampen their mood with his illness either, especially as Shinpachi tended to overreact whenever someone was sick.

"Gin-san, you really shouldn't go out to drink. We have enough debts as it is." The case of the mysterious smoke smell in their living room was dropped momentarily, and the kids moved to the kitchen to make food, leaving Gintoki alone in his dim room alone with his thoughts.

He swirled the remaining water around in the glass, gazing at the clear liquid as it transformed the afternoon light with every movement. He tried to remember what exactly happened before he fell asleep.

Hijikata somehow appeared in his living room and he helped him to the bathroom when… Gin felt a blush creep up his face. What the hell did the vice-commander do at the Yorozuya in the first place? He felt incredibly embarassed at the thought of a grown-up man helping another to puke. He wasn't a helpless kid, damnit.

He drank the remaining water. He remembered everything now, clear as the water he just drank. There were so many embarassing bits that he wanted to disappear from the surface of the Earth. Or immigrate to space. Anything, just to avoid meeting Hijikata in the future. He begged for a massage, and if that wasn't shameful enough, he even received one.

He touched his forehead, remembering the gentle fingertips that massaged his scalps and temples with the sole purpose to ease his pain. 'Seriously what the hell?'

* * *

They both dreaded the day they would meet again. Their shameful secret shall not be revealed, ever. Hijikata was afraid of the blackmail train that would be unleashed by Sougo, while Gintoki was afraid of losing the last fragments of pride and reputation he had.

But what was meant to happen couldn't be avoided. Less than a week after Hijikata's day off, he was patrolling the streets, keeping vigil for the sake of the citizens. Terrorist activity had a rising rate, so each of the Shinsengumi officers were dispatched over all of Edo. Hijikata seethed inside when he realised he had to patrol Kabuki-cho, meaning his chances to meet the white haired idiot were irritably high. It wasn't even noon when the most dreaded event occurred. Hijikata considered hiding in a nearby trashcan when he saw the trademark white yukata with blue swirls. What he didn't know was the fact that Gintoki also had an urge to jolt and jump into a nearby drink vending machine just to avoid the officer he spotted from far away. Neither of them listened to their instincts and their steps approached toward the other. Turning around was also out of option because neither of them was a coward to run away. They avoided eye-contact though, so when they neared each other both of them purposedly looked away.

They bumped into each other. Really hard.

Gintoki fell on his bums, with a yelp. This turned out worse than he could ever imagine. Hijikata swayed too but he managed to stay on his feet.

"Oi, watch where you're going" Gintoki rubbed his shoulder where they collided. Hijikata was pissed off too. Instead of staying away from this man, they managed to run into each other – literally.

"You shouldn't hinder an officer. Go and commit seppuku you loiterer!" an angry response. That was something Hijikata was good at. He even dropped his cigarette in the accident and reached for his packet to light a new one.

"I thought at least you would help me up? What kind of policeman are you? Not only do you run over people but you let them stay helpless in the dirt, eh?" Gintoki stood angrily, dusting his bottoms off. The street dust got into the yukata and no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it, it remained within the fabric. Just one more thing to add to his list of annoying factors.

"Get lost, I'm working." The officer took a long, nervous drag from the cigarette, and it was already halfway to finish.

"Gin-san's working too." He reached down to gather what he was carrying: a huge bag.

"It was supposed to be delivery." he added, no doubt to make Hijikata feel guilty. He glanced inside the bag with a smirk to make sure that everything was fine.

"Good luck with that."

"…" Gintoki didn't respond.

"What?" Hijikata didn't know what to make of the situation. Gintoki stood checking at the content of his bags without uttering a single word.

"It's broken." Gintoki said.

The way he said it indicated that something terrible happened. Hijikata stood there eying the other nervously.

"It was your fault, not looking where you walk when you carry fragile things!" Hijikata didn't want to be blamed at all, clearly the other was at fault.

Too bad for him because an old man who stood nearby, witnessed it all.

"Officer-san, you should at least apologize. It was your fault." Hijikata glared at the old man maliciously, who shut up immediately and skittered away fretfully.

"What was it anyway? I'm sure it's not important."

"It was a 200 year old porcelain teapot I was supposed to take to its rightful heir." Gintoki said with an unreadable expression.

"It's worth more than my house." Gintoki added, to make a point.

"You don't even have a house!" Hijikata yelled, but that didn't help at all. He felt really bad now, and it seemed that the Yorozuya was the source of all misfortune in his life lately.

"I wonder how will I play this off.. really there's no excuse for such thing, is there?" Gintoki sounded as if he lost it altogether, he went down an emotional spiral and thought of all possible consequences.

"Is it really that broken? What if it's only chipped? That's not that serious, is that?" Hijikata laughed nervously a little. Damn that old man, how could he say that he was the one at fault? It was clearly the Yorozuya! And why did he feel like he really was responsible?

"Let me see." he said. Hijikata had a boost of hope. Maybe he can fix it. He looked into the plastic bag only to see… a perfectly flat box. He lost all hope. To worsen the situaton, his walkie-talkie went off.

"Hijikata-saan. Did you just run over a person? Is he okay? I didn't hear you apologize! You should apologize even if he's dead. Over." Okita Sougo's voice sounded lazy and uncaring even over the radio.

"Damn you Sougo." Hijikata smashed his radio and stepped on it in anger. It died with an awful crackling sound.

Gintoki didn't move, and he still had an ashened expression. Hijikata was at loss. Apologizing was really out of the question, especially when he knew that he wasn't the one at fault. But he felt really, really bad, as if he was guilty and caught red-handed.

"Uh, erm. I can pay for it. We can sort it out. I'm sure of it." Hijikata said but he couldn't even convince himself. This was even worse than simply apologizing, and Hijikata averted his gaze once more, crushed by embarassment.

"It's … okay."

"… It's not."

It was Gintoki's turn to feel extremely guilty. He was only horsing around. He was carrying eggs home to make tamagoyaki for dinner. He didn't imagine Hijikata would be so fool to fall for the trap, also he didn't know when he himself got so good at lying. He totally deserved an Oscar for his acting. But his prank went a little too far now, it was awkward now and Gintoki's stomach tightened. He wanted to bicker with Hijikata, thinking the other wouldn't care about his troubles. How couldn't Hijikata see that the flat box had even pictograms of eggs on it? Was he blind?

'How do I make it right from this point?' the exact inner question popped up in both men's heads.

Their inner turmoil was interrupted by Yamazaki who came running and out of breath.

"Hijikata-san! Ah there you are. I finally found you! Captain Okita said that you ran into some trouble and your radio broke." Yamazaki was wheezing, which was strange because he was in good shape from playing badminton. Hijikata wondered how much did his subordinate run just to get to him in such a short time.

"That's really thoughtful of Sougo." Even as he said that he knew something was fishy. Yamazaki handed him a new walkie talkie, and Hijikata felt his suspicions arise as he took the gadget. The radio looked odd, it was heavier than usual, and there was a strange red light flashing rythmically. His mind immediately recognized danger, just as the bomb went off in his hand.

The explosion was heard in all of Kabuki-cho, and the screaming that followed it was also audible for many ears to hear.

"SOUGO!"

* * *

'Okita-kun's timing had never been so right' Gintoki thought as he made his escape. While Hijikata was occupied with the situation, he grabbed at the chance and slipped off quickly. Somehow his honor didn't matter anymore. Every fiber in his body screamed 'run away', so he did just that. He dropped the bag, because all of the eggs were smashed. He will buy eggs later, the sale can wait. Gintoki ran for his life, taking turns that made sure no one followed him. He was paranoid now, as if there was something chasing him. Later he realised that it was his own guilty conscience he kept running from.

He stopped to rest when he was nearing home. It was in a secluded alley not far from the Yorozuya's garbage dispenser. He crouched down to catch his breath and waited for his heart rate level to get lower. He was more than a little surprised to hear a noise coming from somewhere nearby. Someone was approaching him, no doubt taking out garbage. He sorted himself out and stood up, ready to leave.

"You dropped your bag." Gintoki froze.

Hijikata stood there in the dim light, barely visible form lit by the burning cigarette in his mouth.

Gintoki didn't know what to do, he felt trapped.

"I checked it, there's only broken tama inside. I wonder if these are your broken eggs?" Hijikata's voice had a malicious undertone.

"Ahahaha, no. You must be mistaken, Hijikata-kun." How in the hell did Hijikata manage to follow him?

Gintoki didn't know but Hijikata took care of Sougo quickly and headed toward the Yorozuya. While Gintoki went off the main road to make sure he wasn't being followed, Hijikata just took the shortest route to his place, thus catching up with him.

"Really?" He dropped the bag at that, and came closer. Gintoki was nervous now. They stood front of each other now, Shinsengumi officer and Yorozuya.

"My bad, someone might pity those eggs. Must have been a painful accident to have them all broken, ahaha." Gintoki checked whether there was an alternate route where he could escape. Much to his distress, there was none and he had to face the other man now. He was loathe to do that.

"I wonder if there will be anyone to pity yours after I crush them." Hijikata said with grit teeth. He was angry, and Gintoki was dangerously close to him.

"I'm sure many girls will cry at the loss." He thought of Sacchan and cringed inwardly. Also, what the hell. Why were they talking about his ball now?

"I was ready to face the consequences back there. How about you do the same, and explain why you lied to me?" Hijikata's face now really close to his own, invading Gintoki's personal space.

"It was a joke. A joke!" Gin brought up his hand in defense. "Let's call it even, you bumped into me, and in turn I lied. But it's okay now, let's forget it!" He said in a rush, inching away a little to the side.

"It's not okay. You wanted me to feel guilty and take responsibilities for something that didn't even occur." Hijikata didn't know why he was making such a fuss. Instead of feeling relieved because nothing unrepairable broke, he felt hurt. The Gintoki he knew wasn't such an arse. Or was he?

"It was just a joke. I didn't mean harm. I didn't expect you would overreact."

"It wasn't funny." Hijikata was astonished. Gintoki's joke didn't have any ulterior motives? When he found the bag his immediate thought was that he wanted to cheat money out of him.

"Forget it already and let me go." Gintoki said in a defeated tone. This was the worst prank he ever made. Hijikata was right, it wasn't funny at all and it even backfired.

"Not until I hear it."

"…What?"

"What are you supposed to say when you do something bad to someone else?" Hijikata smirked evilly.

"… sorry." Gintoki lowered his gaze. The black haired man was surprised at the word. He didn't expect an apology even if he asked for one.

"…about the other day." Gintoki continued. "I didn't mean to be such a bother. Thank you for your help." He had a blush spread over his cheeks, and it was contagious. Hijikata also felt his cheeks flame up. Their earlier verbal fight was immediately forgotten when 'that' topic resurfaced.

"I.." the officer was at loss, he had no idea how to react to that. At hearing no response, Gintoki dared to rise his gaze and their eyes met. The alleyway was a little dim, but the blush was clearly visible on both men's cheeks.

It just happened. They didn't know which one of them was the first one to move, but in a moment their lips locked in a sweet brief kiss. It was really quick, the experience so alien to both of them that they had no courage to do more than that. Tentatively, Gintoki reached with his arms behind Hijikata's back, embarcing him in a soft hug. This time he was the one initiating, leaning forward with more boldness, pressing his mouth against the stunned vice-commander. Their second kiss lasted longer, it was more firm and experimental. With a gasp they parted once more, only to hold eye contact once again. There was confusion and excitement in the air. They had no clue what just happened and why, but the kiss was good. Hijikata realised that he never saw the actual color of Gin's eyes before, thinking it was either black or brown, and he didn't care much either. But last week when the silver perm was so sick, he managed to gaze into those orbs to discover their ruby tint. Now in the dim dark of the alleyway, their red color wasn't that prominent. Meanwhile Gintoki thought about the blue eyes, how cold and cruel they seemed for a newcomer, but they were actually really beautiful. Gintoki wondered what was so different now, it was probably the lack of proper daylight, but the pupils were slightly dilated. He only saw such expression on Hijikata when he indulged himself with mayo at a bar they usually eated at.

The stare-off match neared its end as Hijikata blinked once, twice. As if waking from sleep, he slowly took in his surroundings and tried to comprehend what had happened. Gintoki noticed this and alarmed, grabbed the back of Hijikata's head and pulled him in for another kiss. He didn't want the other to wake up, he wanted this to last a little longer. Hijikata didn't kiss back. He tried to pull away from Gintoki's hold.

"I have to work. And you have to buy new eggs." Hijikata whispered.

Gintoki let go. He felt oddly empty as the other stepped away. He looked at his feet, as he heard steps leaving off. Except after the first step, Hijikata stopped.

"Sorry for bumping into you." He said, then left. Gintoki smiled at that. He had an urge to run after him, to say something to keep him from leaving. But he just stood there, unmoving.

"I'm not sorry!" he said after a while, saying it a little loud so that Hijikata could hear it in the distance. He saw the other raise his hand to wave. They had no clue what the hell was that just now, but it didn't feel as wrong as it should have. Somehow both men looked forward to meet again, regardless of how awkward that would be.

* * *

[A/N: Ahahaha. It's not only awkward for the main characters but the writer too! I even progressed as far as a kiss! My point is to get them from point A to point B. The next chapter won't be this awkward I swear. I intend to do this carefully. The next chapter will be about them getting comfortable in each other's presence. Please tell me what you think!]


	3. Careful when you cross the road

Hijikata went back to work, but his mind stayed adrift for a while. Gintoki resumed his daily routine as well, including another trip to the grocery store – to replace the eggs. He kept replaying the scene that occurred next to his home, and he had a weird smile plastered all over his face for the rest of the day.

Somehow neither of them feared their next encounter.

* * *

Which somehow happened next day, late in the afternoon. It was a really unfortunate chain of events yet again. Hijikata was about to give directions to his subordinates regarding their patrol routes when he had a catch on his walkie talkie. Joui activity has been spotted out nearby, making a perfect chance to capture their notorious leader. It was a gang of simple thugs, not too skilled or organized, but their leader had a very good talent at smuggling and hiding their traces altogether. All gratitude should go to Yamazaki and his anpan mission for finally smelling out their hiding place. Hijikata wasn't one to praise his men, but he had intention to say a few good words to Kondo-san for the sake of Zaki. In the course of action which consisted of smoking out the bandits and luring out their leader, Hijikata kept the situation coordinated, protecting his men. Their swift attack didn't last long as the thugs surrendered and their boss was caught by Sougou.

He couldn't suppress a smile when Kondo kept complimenting him for the deed done so well and chief told him to go back to the barracks early to fill in reports and to take a well earned rest as well. So Hijikata was in a good mood thanks to the success, up until he tried to cross a road to buy cigarettes from a vending machine he spotted on the other side.

He was hit by a white scooter. The rider tried to avoid the collision by skidding to halt with an alarmed scream, but the impact was inevitable. Both Hijikata and his assaulter flew a few meters then rolled on the asphalt, noticing that there was really big traffic and it was only sheer luck that they weren't ran over by something bigger. Some cars collided as well, a few drivers got out of their car to help them, while others kept shaking their fists in anger because they were going to be late for dinner. Hijikata felt pain all over his body but nothing crucial was hurt or broken. He assessed his body looking for possible injuries as he slowly tried to get up, when he felt a hand on him. The touch was tentative, and it was accompanied by a nervous question.

"Hijikata-kun, are you hurt?" It was the Yorozuya, and Hijikata felt like punching the other for turning up like this. His voice was full of worry, uncharacteristic for someone like Gintoki. Of course he had every reason to be worried, but the Vice-Commander was miraculously fine. Quickly he was helped up by a silver haired man, who held him steady for a long moment just to making sure that he could stand on his own. Hijikata was really pissed off at the man but he couldn't start a fight now as they were in a middle of a busy road and the traffic has started to revive around them. Gintoki ran for his scooter and with care he lifted it, making sure it wasn't damaged even more. Once balanced on its two wheels, he was running as he pushed it in the direction of the sidewalk, escaping the danger of passing cars. Hijikata accompanied him as they quickly left the road.

"What the hell was that Yorozuya?"

"I could ask you the same. You stepped onto the road without looking anywhere. Just what got into you? You could have died!" Hijikata was so ready to blame the Yorozuya for the accident that he forgot that it was mainly his fault. Now the words made sense and he realised how foolish he was to cross a road blindly. It was probably the exhaustion, but that's not a good excuse.

Only now he noticed that Gintoki was bleeding. A thin line of blood trickled down the mans cheek, it's source somewhere beneath the curls. There was a huge scrape on his right forearm too.

"I didn't die. But you're hurt!" Hijikata not only felt tired now, but also stupid and guilty. This man always made him feel wretched no matter what situation they were in.

"I will live. What made you think to cross the road, eh?" Gintoki wasn't accusing him anymore, and he seemed relieved that the other was fine. With his yukata's sleeve he wiped off the blood from his face, not caring about the fabric as it was already dirty from his fall.

Hijikata gulped a little because Gintoki's voice was gentle, just as it had been a day before and he was reminded of…

"Mayoboros." he said.

Gintoki raised an eyebrow at that. Cigarette? Hijikata almost died for a pack of cigarettes? No, wait. Gintoki almost died so that Hijikata can buy tabbacco? Gintoki felt a nervous laugh coming out of him. This was absurd.

"Ahahaha, emergency, was it? You ran out…"

"I did, why are you laughing?"

"No, it's nothing." Gintoki wasn't one to brag, but if he didn't try to stop his scooter by skidding and falling purposely, Hijikata would have been subjected to full impact. "But you owe me a parfait."

"Like hell do I owe. Let me buy my damn cigarettes already!" Hijikata snapped, the adrenaline wore off and now his need of nicotine had him angry. With that he went toward the vending machine he so long ago spotted from the other side, and searched for his wallet inside his jacket's pocket.

As his hands reached into empty space he heard an exclamation behind him.

"Ahh what a lucky catch! Gin-san can buy so many parfaits from this amount." Irritated the officer turned around only to see Gintoki counting money in his wallet.

"Oiiiii that's mine you asshole." he was nearing the end of his patience. This fool annoyed him more than Sougou ever did, and that was really hard to top.

"Ah I don't think so. I found this on the asphalt, it was clearly thrown there on purpose so Gin-san could buy himself a strawberry parfait. Maybe an issue of Jump as well!" Gintoki said in a mocking tone. Much to Hijikata's surprise though, Gin didn't try to keep his wallet. He threw it to him and the Vice-commander caught it.

Hijikata didn't know what to say, so he just stared at Gintoki in confusion. There was a cavalcade of reactions stirring within him. He felt a mixture of gratitude and anger within, but the scale was ready to tip toward gratitude as he thought of the possibility of his wallet being left on the road only to be constantly ran over by cars.

Without a word he turned toward the machine and with his recovered money he finally managed to buy the long awaited packet of Mayoboros. The packet barely arrived in the machine's dispenser, he tore it open and put a cigarette between his lips hastily.

Meanwhile Gintoki didn't leave at all, he was merely watching the other enjoying his smoke puffs. The abrupt accident had shaken Gintoki a little, knowing that traveling by scooter was far from safe in Edo, recent events supporting evidence for that fact.

Hijikata stood next to him as he sucked on the tobacco stick, almost hungry to swallow the vile smoke. He glanced at the other and on a whim, he offered the Yorozuya a cigarette from the packet.

Gintoki could think of many reasons to refuse it. It was stinking, unhealthy and wrong on many levels. But he found his hands reaching toward it, taking out one and putting it between his lips almost unconsciously. Hijikata lit it for him and then they just stood there, two figures and a slightly damaged scooter, lit by the late afternoon sun tinted with a slight orange hue.

For Gin, the cigarette was a bit to strong, yet he managed it and even enjoyed it a little when he neared its end.

"The next time we meet. I will buy you a parfait." Hijikata said as he inhaled another bout of smoke from his cigarette.

Gintoki smiled. Free parfait was always welcome! He somehow felt calmer around Hijikata – a lot calmer than he felt yesterday. Strangely their accident brought peace between the too. It could have turned out really nasty, and that possibility made the two man put aside their conflicts.

"Want me to give you a lift home?" Gintoki asked.

"With that piece of scrap? No way. I'll just grab a patrol car." He reached for his radio which was attached to his belt. Except it was very obviously broken and deformed, not giving a hint of function at all.

"You won't be able to reach anyone with that" Gin commented, slightly sulking because his offer was declined and even his scooter got bullied.

"Then I'll just take a taxi." Hijikata somehow didn't want to ride that scooter. He could think of many reasons to refuse it. It just proved to be dangerous and unsafe, and most of all Hijikata didn't wish to ride behind Gintoki while holding onto that man.

"This is a one time offer from Gin-san. You might consider it." Gintoki spoke, and he averted his gaze. Yesterday's moments flashed vividly once again, and a faint blush creeped on the lazy samurai's cheek at the memory. Hijikata's closeness was strangely comfortable and he didn't want them to part yet.

"…" Hijikata thought about it, his will wavering. Gintoki went out of his way with the offer and he knew that.

"Fine. But don't take me all the way to the barracks. We mustn't be seen together." he said as with one final drag, he dropped his cigarette stub, stomping on it to estinguish the remaining embers. His heartrate elevated just a little at the thought of the upcoming ride.

* * *

Hijikata held the body in front of him loosely, trying to touch not more than necessary. The back in front of him was broad and firm, blocking the strong wind. The ride was swift and smooth, somehow even the scooter managed to survive the collision unscathed except for a small dent. Hijikata didn't get to see the smile plastered on Gintoki's face as they rode on.

They reached their destination all too soon. The Shinsengumi barracks were only one corner away, less than 2 minutes of walk. Gintoki stopped the scooter and parked it. They were at the entrance of a narrow alleyway again, one that resembed yesterday's scenery way too much. Hijikata gulped a little as he got off the seat. Gintoki stood next to him, seemingly unsure of his next move as he looked at his passanger.

"Well, thanks for the ride-" Hijikata couldn't finish the sentence. His farewell was interrupted by a sudden pull on his arm and both men disappeared in the shady alley.

The next thing Hijikata knew was that he was pressed against a wall by a firm body and his lips were kissed. Again.

He knew this was about to happen. He both feared and anticipated the kiss, yet it took him some time to respond by kissing back. It was good, better than yesterday's one.

They went more far this time, experimenting and enjoying. Gintoki used everything he had without overdoing it. He pressed their bodies together, a hand caressed Hijikata's neck gently while the other was busy getting buried within the silky depths of the black straight hair. Hijikata reacted to the sensations by holding Gin arms circling around his back - that broad back he secretly admired while they rode the scooter together. He pushed his left leg slightly between Gintoki' thighs, resulting in a low moan escaping from said man.

All the while they didn't break the kiss. Now they parted a little to get some air into their burning lungs while their gazes locked. They were totally entvined now, almost every inch of their body touched in a way and they felt almost uncomfortambly warm despite the chill increasing with the approaching night. Gintoki cupped Hijikata's face as they were staring into each other's eyes. The light was dull again and he wished for a situation where he could see those blue eyes in all their glory. He chuckled at that thought, how silly it was and dove in for another kiss. Hijikata was already waiting for it, and he pressed his tongue into the other's mouth, licking and sucking the other's tongue. Brushing over teeth and gums he finally settled for Gin's lower lip, sucking on it gently. Suddenly he bit on the lip and a gasp escaped Gin's mouth. The bite wasn't sharp, it was firm so it didn't hurt but it was unexpected nonetheless.

Gin responded by pushing his tongue in the other's mouth circling around and exploring Hijikata's palate. They both tasted of tabbacco from their earlier cigarette. They paused again for air, now Hijikata was smiling as well. It felt heavenly, and somehow he had grown to trust the other since yesterday. It was absurd how their rivalry escalated suddenly into something like this, but Hijikata didn't mind it as long as he got to exchange kisses like this. With newly found courage he pressed his lips again to the other's, brushing their noses together. He released Gin from his embrace and sneaked his hands between them to grab Gintoki's collars to bring the man even closer. They both heard the wet noises they made which only fueled their feelings further. Suddenly Gin abandoned his lips and moved to the corner of his mouth, pecking and licking his way. That spot was also left behind soon as Gintoki made his way slowly, sweetly towards his jawline, then advancing to kiss behind his ear. Hijikata didn't remember being so sensitive on that spot but somehow the way Gintoki suckled the thin skin just beneath the shell of his ear felt extremely good and he exhaled audibly.

Gintoki kept doing his stuff for one more long minute then left off. He then buried his head into the crook of his neck and stayed like that. He was leaning against Hijikata with his full weight, keeping the other pinned to the wall. The officer didn't mind at all. They were embracing now, not wishing to let go, it was comfortable like this. They tried to exclude cold reason. This peace was very fragile. They had to worry about so many things that it was hard to count. Starting from Hijikata's reputation in the Shinsengumi, and the fact that they were both men, they also were rivals, alas, not long ago they hated each other's guts so much that they had to fight the urge to kill each other. Now this was a different kind of urge and it was distastefully romantic how they just made out. So out of character for both of them, yet it felt so perfect that right now neither of them cared at all.

Their hug was firm and it lasted a long time. They breathed together and they could feel each other's heartbeat. Gintoki was the one to speak first.

"To think that I ran over you with my scooter."he chuckled against the others neck, speaking into his scarf.

"Sorry about that… In the end it was you who got hurt." Hijikata spoke into the silver curls in return.

"Oi, kissing is one thing, but hearing you apologizing is way too unnerving!" Gin said with a laugh, remembering on a side-note how Hijikata loathed to thank people, apologize to people and altogether being polite to people. Hijikata laughed at that to and pecked Gintoki on the cheek.

Slowly dusk fell on them and they could barely see each other anymore. How long they had been there, neither of them had any clue of.

"Ne, Hijikata! Wouldn't Gori-kun miss you if you stayed out late?"

"Probably he noticed. I'm afraid I must go." he didn't want to.

Gin didn't want to let go either. He removed Hijikata's scarf only to kiss the revealed neck there with newfound fervency. The ravenhaired man arched his neck and gasped audibly at the sensation. Gintoki had no intention to mark him or leave a hickey so he stopped soon. They looked into each other's eyes, knowing that Hijikata had to leave at last. It was really dark now, but within the darkness there was hope. They knew that there would be continuation to this, meaning they would resume soon.

Also Hijikata promised Gintoki a parfait, this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Gintoki stepped back and and smoothed out the officer's clothes. The scarf was still in his hand, so with swift movements he retied it around his neck thoughtfully. Hijikata didn't move at all as he waited the piece of garment to be rearranged to its original state.

With one final embrace and a sweet goodbye kiss they parted.

"When will you be free?" asked Gin.

"I don't know. I'll contact you." slightly disappointed, Gin sighed at the answer. There was so much more to explore.

Hijikata walked away with a smile on his face, leaving Gintoki in the shadows.

* * *

[A/N: Okay, I just keep writing this disgustingly OOC stuff. I enjoy it much, though I know my writing style hasn't improved at all. That's sad. I'm sorry for being unable to bring you quality story but my English needs some serious vocabulary update. (It's a bad excuse, but true: English is not my mother tongue.) Anyways I hope you found some bits to your liking – Please review if you do!]


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